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March 31, 2020


Overview: The Department of Defense and COVID-19


The Department of Defense (DOD) is one of many U.S.
government agencies participating in the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -led COVID-19
national response framework. As developments unfold,
interest has grown regarding what DOD might be able to
contribute to the U.S. government's COVID-19 response.
On March 24, 2020, Secretary of Defense Esper stated that
DOD's top COVID-19 priorities are protecting the Defense
Department's people, maintaining military readiness, and
supporting the whole-of-government interagency response.
With respect to whole-of-government response, below is a
non-exhaustive survey of some DOD capabilities that might
be applied to the current situation if directed to do so.

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Although DOD is a supporting agency in the current
national response framework, the U.S. military has a
number of unique capabilities that might be applied to the
current circumstances, as well as sheer manpower capacity
to execute key tasks in a timely fashion. The mission set
that allows DOD to contribute to whole-of-government
crisis response is called Defense Support to Civil
Authorities (DSCA). Specific to pandemics, some roles and
missions for various DOD components are laid out in DOD
Instruction (DODI) 3025.24, DOD Public Health and
Medical Services in Support of Civil Authorities. These
include, but are not limited to the following:
* The Undersecretary of Defense (Policy) provides
   overall coordination for DOD support to DSCA and
   interfaces with the National Security Council and other
   agencies of government. In a health crisis, one of their
   subordinates, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for
   Homeland Defense and Global Security is responsible
   for the day-to-day coordination of DOD's contribution
   to the federal response.
* Combatant Commands (COCOMs) work with other
   federal agencies to help plan for crises and provide
   additional capacity and medical support. For example,
   on February 13, 2020, General Terrence
   O'Shaughnessy, commander of U.S. Northern
   Command (NORTHCOM), testified before the Senate
   Armed Services Committee that NORTHCOM had at
   that point helped the Department of Health and Human
   Services quarantine more than 600 individuals at
   military facilities across the country, and that 11 DOD
   facilities near major airports were on standby for
   additional support if needed.
* The National Guard. At the time of writing, elements
   of the National Guard in 49 states, three territories, and
   the District of Columbia have been activated. These
   personnel are performing missions including, but not
   limited to manning call centers, providing critical


   Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) training and
   sample collection and delivery to first responders and
   hospital personnel, helping local emergency managers
   with their COVID-19 planning, and assisting with
   disinfecting of common spaces.
* The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is a Combat
   Support Agency that enables the Army, Navy, and Air
   Force medical services to provide a ready medical force
   to Combatant Commands. According to DODI 3025.24,
   DHA also assists federal government medical responses
   by acting as an information clearinghouse between
   relevant agencies and actors.
* The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) works with other
   U.S. government departments and agencies to facilitate
   medical logistics support (e.g., the transportation of
   personal protective equipment, doctors, and nurses) to
   and between critical areas.

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 DOD has capabilities to protect troops and military assets
 from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
 (CBRN) threats, some of which are supporting the current
 COVID-19 response. Key components within DOD that
have relevant biological defense responsibilities and
initiatives include the following:
* Defense Labs. Military laboratories conduct research
   and development of surveillance technologies, vaccines,
   diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures. For
   example, the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of
   Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick, MD,
   and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
   (WRAIR) in Silver Spring, MD, are working to develop
   and test potential vaccines for COVID-19. The National
   Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI) examines
   worldwide health threats, infectious disease,
   environmental health risks, biotechnology development,
   foreign medical capabilities, and biomedical subjects.
* The Defense Threat Reduction Agency is a combatant
   command support agency that provides science,
   technology, and capability development investments in
   countering weapons of mass destruction, including
   biological events. DTRA coordinated an airlift of a half
   a million COVID-19 diagnostic kits to the United States
   in mid-March.
* The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
   funds research such as advanced vaccine development
   and medical countermeasures that are being applied to
   the current response. Since 2017, DARPA's Pandemic
   Prevention Platform (P3) program has been working to
   develop a rapid response that would produce relevant


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